Archive for the The LRS Number Category

Just in time for Banned Books Week, LRS’s latest Fast Facts report summarizes the results of our annual investigation into the materials that are challenged in public libraries across Colorado. This Fast Facts details the number, type, and reasons for the challenges reported in the 2016 Public Library Annual Report. The information that public libraries provided to us about these challenges help determine the attitude toward intellectual freedom in Colorado now and over time.

After hovering at just under 30 challenges from 2013-2015, the number of challenges dropped to 22. This continues a consistent downward trend in the number of reported public library challenges since 2010.

Like in previous years, materials for adults were challenged most often, making up well over half (60%) of all challenges. Just over a third (35%) of challenges were aimed towards children’s materials, and only 5% of challenges were for young adult materials. About two-thirds (68%) of challenges resulted in no change at all, which has been the most common resolution for public library challenges in recent years. “Sexually explicit” (50%) and “Other” (17%) held onto their top spots as the most frequent reasons cited for the challenges. “Homosexuality,” “Nudity,” “Sexism,” and “Unsuited to Age Group” all tied for third at 14%.

Fewer types of materials were challenged in 2016 than in 2015. Videos were challenged most, making up over half (55%) of all challenges. About a third (36%) of challenges were aimed at books, and there were a few challenges to periodicals (5%) and computer policy (5%). Unlike in 2015, there were no challenges to library activities, audiobooks, or music.

A recent Pew survey shows that 40% of U.S. adults trust information from a local public library or librarians “a lot.” Thirty-eight percent of respondents said they trust libraries/librarians “some.” Totaling the percentage of respondents who trust a resource “a lot” or “some,” 83% trust health care providers, 82% trust family or friends, and 78% trust libraries/librarians. Libraries have the largest percentage of the strongest feelings of trust.

The survey divided participants into five groups based on their attitudes about information and learning, summarized below. “Interest” refers to how many different topics respondents expressed interest in. Groups with high interest expressed interest in more topics. “Trust” refers to how many sources of information respondents trust “a lot.” Higher trust means they trust more sources of information. “Training” means respondents said training on using online resources or digital technology would “contribute a lot” to their decision making.

Group

Interest

Trust

Training

Percentage

Eager & Willing

Highest

High

High

22%

Confident

High

Highest

Middle

16%

Cautious & Curious

Middle

Middle

Highest

13%

Doubtful

Low

Low

Low

24%

Wary

Lowest

Lowest

Low

25%

Within each of these subgroups, trust of libraries/librarians varied. Out of the total number of participants who said that they trusted the libraries/librarians a lot, 73% were from the “eager & willing” group, 59% from the “confident” group, 29% from the “cautious & curious” group, 29% from the “doubtful” group, and 14% from the “wary” group. (Percentages do not total to 100% because respondents could say that they trust multiple sources “a lot.”)

The “eager & willing” group was the most likely to have interacted with their local library in the past 12 months through one of the following: visiting a library or bookmobile, using a public library website, or using a public library app. Out of all the groups, this one also expressed the strongest desire for both a public library closer to home and expanded library hours. The demographics of the “eager & willing” group show that the typical respondent in this group is: female, non-parent, white (though almost as likely to be black or Hispanic), 30-49 years old, with a household income of less than or equal to $30,000, has a high school education or less, and lives in an urban area.

This survey provides valuable information about perception of libraries, and points to some key questions about users and non-users. How can libraries continue to serve this specific population that is eager to use the library and further their skills? How can libraries also reach out to the other groups, who are less trusting of information sources in general?

Library Jobline, LRS’s website for library job postings and resources, posted a record number of jobs in 2016 and saw a continued increase in the number of people using the website to post and search for jobs. Data collected from the Library Jobline website are highlighted in the most recent Fast Facts report.

In 2016, 673 library jobs were posted to Library Jobline, with May being the busiest month for job postings (73 posts). More than two-thirds (69%) of jobs posted were located in Colorado, and over half (53%) were full-time positions. A majority of jobs posted were in public libraries (66%), while 1 in 5 (20%) were academic library jobs. Jobs in institutional libraries, school libraries, and other institutions made up the remaining posts.

Salaries for library positions have also remained steady after an increase from post-recession lows. Average hourly salaries for Academic library positions ($21.96) were similar to last year, and Public library positions ($22.09) increased by 6% since 2015. The average hourly salary for School libraries ($19.22) recovered from its low in 2015 ($16.62). Average salaries for positions not requiring an MLIS jumped about another dollar to $18.12/hour, while average salaries for jobs requiring an MLIS continued to hover around $24.28/hour.

Subscriptions to Library Jobline have also continued to grow, with 556 new jobseekers and 154 new employers added in 2016. This led to more than 823,000 emails with job opportunities sent to jobseekers –more than 2,000 emails a week!

Are you hiring at your library? In the library job market yourself? Sign up for Library Jobline as an employer or jobseeker. Jobseekers can specify what jobs they’re interested in and get emails sent straight to their inbox whenever new posts meet their criteria. Employers can also reach nearly 5,000 jobseekers and more than 1,000 followers on Twitter @libraryjobline.

Note: This post is part of our series, “The LRS Number.” In this series, we highlight statistics that help tell the story of the 21st-century library.

As libraries increasingly focus on digital information resources, librarians are left wondering what the interior of the library will look like in the future if most of their materials can be found online rather than on bookshelves. The Utrecht University Library (UUL) attempted to answer this question in a recent study undertaken to predict what the role of library bookshelves will be by 2025.

Librarians at UUL looked at their acquisition data to determine the changing ratio of paper and digital books and journals in the library’s collection. They found that since 2014, 90% of UUL’s acquisitions budget was spent on digital publications and databases. In that same time frame, 4 in 5 (80%) of all of UUL’s paper publications were moved off of the open library shelves and placed in depositories. However, some students and faculty specifically request that their materials be bought in paper format – three-quarters (75%) of all the paper books purchased in 2016 were for Humanities students and faculty, and half (50%) of all publications on UUL’s open shelves had a Humanities background.

UUL researchers also distributed a survey to library users to better understand how their patrons were using the open shelves to look for information. They found that while about half (51%) of faculty always or frequently use materials from UUL’s open shelves, undergraduate and graduate students rarely do. In focus group sessions, faculty said that they found it easier to get an impression of the available literature on a subject by standing in front of a shelf, rather than scrolling through ebooks or databases. Conversely, students said that it was quicker to search through the library’s online resources than it was to make a trip to the library.

Students did acknowledge the environmental advantage of having open shelves in the library. Both undergraduate and graduate students said that they liked having the bookshelves around while they studied because they “create an intellectually stimulating and supportive environment.”

For more predictions about the future of library bookshelves, check out the full report here.

The American Libraries Association (ALA) recently published a report exploring the ways that rural public libraries meet the needs of their communities, especially by providing digital literacy training and free access to the internet. This report used data collected by the Public Libraries Survey and the Digital Inclusion Survey.

Rural libraries tend to fall into a role of internet provider for rural communities since affordable, high-capacity home broadband internet can be difficult to obtain outside of more populous areas. More than 4 in 5 (85%) rural libraries surveyed reported subscribing to internet download speeds of at least 1.5 Megabits per second (Mbps), increased from more than half (57%) that reported the same in 2010. The median connection speed across rural libraries is 10 Mbps, which is slow by today’s standards – the Federal Communications Commission recommends connection speeds of 100 Mbps for all libraries serving 50,000 people or less.

Rural libraries have kept pace with their urban and suburban counterparts in helping their patrons breach the digital divide. Nearly all libraries surveyed offer public WiFi to their patrons, allowing for use of personal devices while in the library. More than 4 in 5 (84%) rural libraries offer basic computer training, which is the same rate as urban/suburban libraries (87%). Libraries across the board also offer training in basic office productivity software, like Microsoft Office, at a similar rate (81% for rural libraries, and 84% for all libraries). A larger gap emerged when librarians were asked about specialized training for social media tools and new technologies, which are more frequently offered at urban and suburban libraries.

For more information about the role that rural libraries play in their communities, the full report can be found here.

Note: This post is part of our series, “The LRS Number.” In this series, we highlight statistics that help tell the story of the 21st-century library.

A recent study conducted by Freedman Consulting found that Americans across the political spectrum support net neutrality. The study also found a bipartisan belief that access to the internet is essential and that the government should play a role in expanding internet access.

About three-quarters (77%) of the survey respondents indicated that they believe the Federal Communication Commission’s existing Open Internet rules should be kept in place. Unlike many political issues, this issue received support from all major political parties – three-quarters of both Republicans (73%) and Independents (76%), and 4 in 5 Democrats (80%) noted their support for net neutrality rules.

An underlying reason for this broad support of net neutrality rules is likely because of the understanding that internet access has become necessary for both economic success and free expression. When given the statement, “internet access is essential and everyone needs it in the 21st century economy,” three-quarters (75%) of the survey respondents agreed. The study also found that more than 4 in 5 (83%) respondents viewed internet access as on-par with other essential infrastructure, like roads and bridges, and more than two-thirds (70%) agree that the government should provide funding to help rural and low-income Americans access the internet.

While net neutrality can seem like an issue best left to legislators and tech giants, libraries have a lot to lose if ISPs no longer have to abide by net neutrality regulations. On a practical level, libraries will likely have to choose between paying more for usable internet access or trying to function using cheaper, slower connection speeds. From an ethical standpoint, libraries are encouraged to advocate for intellectual freedom, which is a right that would be undermined if internet access is blocked or throttled. However, this report suggests that library patrons support regulations that will allow libraries to continue providing access to information.

For information about how Americans view net neutrality, the full report can be found here.

Note: This post is part of our series, “The LRS Number.” In this series, we highlight statistics that help tell the story of the 21st-century library.

In a new analysis of data collected in a 2016 survey, Pew Research Center found that Millennials were the most likely generation to say they used their public library in the past year, either through the library’s physical premises or online. The analysis also reveals other demographic trends in library use.

Over half (53%) of the Millennials (those ages 18 to 35) surveyed report that they have used a public library or bookmobile within the previous year. This is compared to about 2 in 5 of both Gen Xers (those ages 36-51; 45%) and Baby Boomers (those ages 52-70; 43%) and a little over a third (36%) of respondents in the Silent Generation (ages 71-88). Millennials also tend to take advantage of the resources found on their public library’s website most often – more than 2 in 5 (44%) Millennials report using their library website in the past year, while a third (33%) of GenXers, about a quarter (24%) of Baby Boomers, and about 1 in 10 (11%) of the Silent Generation report the same.

Pew’s new analysis also reveals differences in library use based on gender and parental status. In the 2016 survey, over half of women (54%) said that they had visited a public library or bookmobile in that past year, while about 2 in 5 men (39%) said the same. Similarly, about 2 in 5 (37%) women had visited their library’s website, while about a quarter of men (24%) did. Parents were also more likely to have visited their library’s physical premises than nonparents in the past year (54% vs. 43%).

For more information about generational and demographic library use, the full article can be found here.

Note: This post is part of our series, “The LRS Number.” In this series, we highlight statistics that help tell the story of the 21st-century library.

Summer learning loss is a major issue that schools, libraries, and other community organizations try to alleviate through programming. Many children lose math and reading skills over the summer, and these losses are particularly steep for low-income children (click here for more info). What are the best ways to prevent summer learning loss and how can libraries incorporate best practices into their summer programming?

The Wallace Foundation released a report in September 2016 sharing results of a multi-year evaluation on five free and voluntary summer learning programs offered by school districts. All of the programs had at least three hours of instruction per day, and lasted at least five weeks. Free transportation and meals were also provided. All of the study subjects were in the third grade as of spring 2013.

The evaluation found several promising correlations to positive outcomes for students who attended at least 20 days of the program. For students who attended programming two summers in a row (2013 & 2014), they had significant increases in math and language arts achievement that were still present on their standardized test scores the following spring (2015). Students who attended for two summers also showed some increases in their social-emotional competencies, like self-regulation and self-motivation. The amount of academic time on task students had in their summer program correlated with better outcomes. This study defined high time on task as 34 hours of language arts instruction and 25 hours of mathematics instruction over the course of a five week or longer program. The report makes several recommendations: 1) offer at least five weeks of programming 2) offer at least three hours of academics per day 3) encourage attendance at multiple summers in a row and 4) encourage high attendance throughout the program.

It is important to note that these findings are correlations and not causal because they were not found using a randomized control group, so selection bias could be affecting the results. The Wallace Foundation is continuing to test for causal relationships as well. For a complete copy of the current evaluation, please click here.

Note: This post is part of our series, “The LRS Number.” In this series, we highlight statistics that help tell the story of the 21st-century library.

The Pew Research Center recently published the results of a survey studying technology use among adults ages 65 and older in the United States. They found that while technology adoption is slower among senior citizens, the rate of technology use among seniors is growing.

The percentage of seniors using technology has increased dramatically in the past few years. Two-thirds (67%) of the seniors that were surveyed use the internet, and half (51%) report that they can access broadband internet in their homes. About 2 in 5 (42%) seniors reported that they own smartphones, up from about 1 in 5 (18%) just four years ago in 2013. The number of seniors that own tablets has also doubled since 2013, up to about one-third (32%). Social media use among seniors has increased as well, with about a third (34%) of seniors reporting that they use social networking sites, up from about a quarter (27%) in 2013.

Despite these gains, technology adoption among seniors remains lower than among those ages 18 to 64. This may be due to a lack of confidence when it comes to using new technologies – only about a quarter (26%) of those ages 65 and older report feeling confident when using smartphones, computers, or other electronic devices, while roughly a third (34%) describe themselves as having little to no confidence with these devices. Senior citizens are also more likely to need help setting up new devices or need someone to show them how to use it, with about three-quarters (73%) of seniors reporting that they often need assistance.

This report reveals that there is clearly still a need for the technology assistance and classes that many libraries already offer to seniors, and perhaps even more of an opportunity for librarians to step in and help seniors become digitally connected. For more information about demographics and attitudes towards technology use by seniors, the full report can be found here.

Note: This post is part of our series, “The LRS Number.” In this series, we highlight statistics that help tell the story of the 21st-century library.

A recent study by the Stanford University School of Medicine found that library-based meal programs are an effective way to address food insecurity in low-income neighborhoods and can help patrons become aware of other community food resources. The researchers examined ten library meal programs in high-poverty areas in Silicon Valley in California.

Food insecurity (FI) became a leading public health concern during the Great Recession. In 2015, 12.7% of U.S. households (about 16 million households) reported being food insecure at some point during the year, meaning that the household lacked the money or resources to access adequate food for themselves or their family. As trusted, community-centered organizations, libraries are well-positioned to provide social services to address community needs.

To tackle food insecurity in Silicon Valley, the libraries studied began serving lunches to low-income families in the summer when children do not have access to free or reduced-price lunches at school. About 2 in 5 (41%) meal program participants surveyed were at risk for FI. Among those at risk for FI, more than 4 in 5 (85%) were Hispanic or Latino and 3 in 5 (61%) lived in households with two adults present. Lower education is typically associated with FI, but about 1 in 5 (21%) food insecure participants held either a bachelor’s or graduate degree. About 9 in 10 (91%) participants attended their library’s meal program at least once a week.

When asked about library meal programs during in-person interviews, participants mentioned that they were likely to return for meals at the library because they viewed the library as a welcoming and stigma-free environment. Immigrants were especially enthusiastic about library meal programs because they are often deterred from enrolling in government-run food assistance programs due to fears of deportation. Participants also said that they trusted the library to provide them with accurate information for external community resources like WIC and SNAP.

For more information about library meal programs, the full report can be found here.

Note: This post is part of our series, “The LRS Number.” In this series, we highlight statistics that help tell the story of the 21st-century library.